Modern Vespa

I shoulda just hit the "Just Walk Away" button

Whatever makes you happy is the right answer.

Ditto and you are expanding your vision I noticed```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

Hi Bill, I'm no longer in the trade but changing brake fluid every 2 years or so has been a requirement for only the last 45+ years or so so I understand anyone could have missed this...lol.

It's carried out for several reasons. Firstly, have you ever looked at the brake fluid coming out of your bike or car after the first 2 or 3 years? Often and more usually, it is very dirty and contains bits of grit and metal machine debris, and other rubbish from manufacturing. Additionally, all brake fluid not only gradually breaks down (especially the glycol based fluid), but absorbs moisture too which causes not only corrosion with the corrosponding gas that goes with that, but allows the moisture and gas to compress. This seriously reduces the ability of the fluid to resist temperature changes and slam on the brakes effectively when you need them in an emergency.

Bill, yes if Royal Enfield say change your fluid at 2 years, then do it. You'll be amazed at the stuff that comes out. Some car manufacturers now say change the fluid at 3 years to start with, then every two years after that. But I stick to two years because of the rubbish that surfaces in the braking system after two years.

Changing your brake fluid in accordance with the manufacturers instructions can double and even treble the life of your braking system hydraulics by reducing wear, thus saving considerable money. But above all, you'll be safe.

Bill, sorry not to have spoken to you lately. My wife was taken very ill in January. I nearly lost her. I've been virtually living in London because she has been in Queens Hospital for 6 weeks having had two big brain operations to save her life. She's pulled through and is undamaged, and I'm nursing her at home presently. It's been a horrendous time but we see better times ahead now. Speak soon...I want that meet up sometime.

I come from aviation, where maintenance is tightly regulated and, if not done properly, sometimes fatal. So, I'm always going to opt for prevention over reaction.

Thinking about two little tires keeping me off the pavement at 100fps while my engine is thrashing away at 5000 rpm, and two little brake pucks the size of half dollars to stop 600 pounds of man and machine leads me not to skimp on cheap maintenance.

Brake fluid (non-synthetic) is hygroscopic-it draws moisture when exposed to the air. So, if you crack the caps on your reservoirs to top up, there's moisture in solution in your brake fluid. Even factory installed fluid was, on the assembly line, exposed to ambient air, and the clock started ticking.

This is not religious faith, like some of you seem to have in the "ignore it, it's probably okay" camp-it's just science.

For the doubters, bleed a little fluid from your calipers. Is it perfectly clear, or is it just a bit cloudy or have a bit of brown in it?

On the whole, a brake fluid flush is cheap, fast, and easy. It's one of the basic tasks (oil and filter, brakes, coolant, spark plug, air filter, tire check) an owner should really master, anyway, IMHO.

I know Bill thinks I waste $$ but I am going to keep changing that brake fluid, I don't think it is expensive but I do value my life and my ability to ride, walk and a few other things.
Good braking power saved my life and the lives of my son and a friend over 9 years ago when some fool crossed the center line in heavy traffic. My little red Mazda truck left over 55 feet of skid marks, that right foot locking down the brake ended up with a lot of damage but after a couple surgeries, a long healing time I was able to return to work and to earning a living. Which has paid for my home, car, 3 Vespa rides, my food, and that co-pay on the heavy brace I wear every day to work.
That guy in the Buick never even slowed down, it happened fast but it changed my life forever, and the very good tires and good brakes on that little older truck saved 3 lives.
I admit I run those rides above the speed limit far too often, and I admit I got nailed in Kampville last fall, after dark, I was not rolling through that little wide spot on the river road as slow as I thought.... but I am going to try and ride a bit more carefully and a bit more observant of that speed limit stuff and I am going to keep maintaining my very treasured scooters, including that not so very expensive and not at all hard to do 'change the brake fluid' job.